Richard Davis: Reports of tea party's demise are greatly exaggerated

"Such "low-information voters" nonsense being
peddled on the AM dial is the far Right's way of feeling better about
itself when it's licking its wounds. As with much else of its views, it
simply doesn't fit the evidence."

Good point.

The
lies on top of lies about the so-called lies of the Obama administration are
standard "Conservative" fodder.

Ralph West JordanTaylorsville, UT

June 19, 2014 10:03 p.m.

Re:Joe Capitalist2

"but no one with half a brain will fall for
it." Then how do you account for 2008 and 2012?

2 bitsCottonwood Heights, UT

June 19, 2014 2:12 p.m.

Democrats seem to vacillate wildly (and almost daily) between "The Tea Party
is taking over the world"... and "The Tea Party is dead"...

Which is it...? Make up your mind!

Are they Racists taking over
the United States, and the biggest threat to America since AlQaida... OR... are
they irrelevant? I keep hearing BOTH from the same posters... Make up our
minds!

Kent C. DeForrestProvo, UT

June 19, 2014 8:54 a.m.

What's a stragety? Not acquainted with this term.

LDS LiberalFarmington, UT

June 18, 2014 6:54 p.m.

Noodlekaboodle

Poplar Grove, UT========

But, Wouldn't it be great if...

Ted Cruz renounces his Canadian
citizenship, Wins the GOP nomination (not likely, as you mentioned), By some Galactic oddity WINS the General Election, only to then have the
Supreme Court rule he can not be the President because the Tea-Partiers
can't read the Constitution?!

NoodlekaboodlePoplar Grove, UT

June 18, 2014 6:24 p.m.

@HaHaHaHaWell, the big difference of course, is that there is proof that
Cruz was born in Canada,(as you mention, he renounced his Canadian citizenship
last week) Where is the proof that Obama wasn't born a US citizen? The only
proof that is out there shows he was born in Hawaii, so they went looking for
proof he wasn't(which they never found, the man even released his birth
certificate, but some people didn't want to believe, and would still say he
wasn't born in the US, even if there was video of his birth), and i'm
pretty sure if I took that bet there would never be a payoff, because besides
the Canadian thing, Ted Cruz is not going to get the GOP nomination. He's
divisive inside his own party to be a presidential candidate in 2016, I mean
i'd love it, as that would mean a landslide loss for the GOP.....which is
why it will never happen.

Res NovaeAshburn, VA

June 18, 2014 5:49 p.m.

"The reason for low democrat voter turnout in off-year elections is because
democrats rely on "low-information voters" every four years."

Studies repeatedly show that adults with college degrees tend to vote
Democrat while those with high school degrees break decidedly Republican. They
also show that viewers of Fox News and listeners of AM radio are less informed
of basic, indisputable facts than people who pay attention to no news.

Such "low-information voters" nonsense being peddled on the AM
dial is the far Right's way of feeling better about itself when it's
licking its wounds. As with much else of its views, it simply doesn't fit
the evidence.

patriotCedar Hills, UT

June 18, 2014 5:08 p.m.

re:HaHaHaHa

also this past week Ted renounced his Canadian
citizenship - google it.

HaHaHaHaOthello, WA

June 18, 2014 4:41 p.m.

"Why do people keep calling Ted Cruz a presidential candidate? He was born
in Canada, was a Canadian citizen, therefore he's not eligible to be
president."

@ noodle I'm sure your credentials place you
above a supreme court justice and all, but after bho's last couple of
nominees, that bar has been set pretty low. Therefore, it might be of note to
you that Cruz has been a US citizen just as long as he was a Canadian citizen.
From the moment of his birth. Now longer because he has renounced his Canadian
citizenship. Anyway, if it comes down to the supreme court deciding whether he
is eligible, my money says he will be declared eligible. Wanna take that bet?

patriotCedar Hills, UT

June 18, 2014 4:18 p.m.

re:steamroller

Well I would ask you to take a look at the latest
election shocker where RINO Eric Cantor lost to a Tea Party candidate. Cantor
was supposed to be the next Speaker of the House but he strayed from the
conservative base and he is now ...or soon to be ...unemployed. Remember that
the Tea Party is NOT an acutal political party but is instead a mindset among
both conservative+libertarian people across America who hold fast to the US
constitution and its founding principles. It was the Tea Party candidates that
BEAT the Democrats in the 2010 mid-terms...remember??

As far as your
talk about Barack's scandals - are you serious? This post won't allow
enough words to describe the scandals that your socialist leader has been caught
in over the past several years.

I haven't even mentioned ACORN and
their election fraud and ties to the White House. Most of these carry criminal
convictions and jail time (IRS and Fast n Furious).

FTsalt lake city, UT

June 18, 2014 3:34 p.m.

@SC FanI try to watch Fox from time to time but to be honest it's so
blatanly bias and shallow I think one could get more accurate news from Tokoyo
Rose. I think a better choice of words for me would have been values
instead of face of American voters. Even if the GOP nominates a Niki Haley or
Marco Rubio they'll have to run on the party's platform and unless
they change that they'll fail to attract woman, latinos,asians, blacks and
the youth vote. There is simply not enough white male voters or right wing
radicals to win the populous states they'll need to carry a national
election. Clearfield, Utah is not representative of what America is or wants in
2014.

BrentBotSalt Lake City, UT

June 18, 2014 2:25 p.m.

Steamroller,

The reason for low democrat voter turnout in off-year
elections is because democrats rely on "low-information voters" every
four years. Given all the Obama scandals and lack of governing (Obamacare and
Veteran's Administration hospitals), maybe the country should do what the
informed voters want.

NoodlekaboodlePoplar Grove, UT

June 18, 2014 2:18 p.m.

Why do people keep calling Ted Cruz a presidential candidate? He was born in
Canada, was a Canadian citizen, therefore he's not eligible to be
president.

BrentBotSalt Lake City, UT

June 18, 2014 2:18 p.m.

The Tea Party is our only hope for restoring the Constitution, and returning the
political initiative to the people and away from Wall St and D.C. There is a
reason eight of the ten most rich counties are in the D.C. area, and the other
two are suburbs of NYC. We are subsidizing these fat cats with our hard-earned
dollars.

JoeCapitalist2Orem, UT

June 18, 2014 2:07 p.m.

I have never been to a Tea Party event but I don't believe a word of all
the denegrading remarks of the left (some of whom are on this forum) have toward
the movement.

I don't believe that it is "fracturing"
the GOP. Like all popular movements, it certainly is pulling members of the
establishment toward its point of view, but the same could be said of many
left-wing organizations.

The left fears this movement so they will do
or say anything to slow it down, even break the law (e.g. Lois Lerner).

So call it dead. Say it is full of radical right-wingers. Say it is full of
bigots and haters. Say it is just what the Democrats want. (Did I miss
anything?) You will certainly influence the uninformed voter, but no one with
half a brain will fall for it.

SCfanclearfield, UT

June 18, 2014 1:55 p.m.

FT

Dick Morris? He hasn't been seen or heard from since
November of 2012. As for Karl Rove, he did engineer two election victories for
Bush, so he does understand the political landscape pretty well. As for the
Republicans being an old white guy party, I'd suggest you look at the
number of possible candidates they might nominate. Some are minority, and we
have some pretty impressive women coming along, and all are young. The old in
the next election will possibly be old Hillary. The Democrats seem to have no
one on the bench if she does not run. How does one see the Democrat Party of
today as anything but an old party trying to hang onto the Clinton years? Who
are the new and upcoming leaders? Harry Reid? Nancy Pelosi? Barbara Mukulski?
About the only one I know of is Elizabeth Warren, and she is considered very
far left, of even Obama. Maybe you ought to watch a little more Fox for some
perspective, which I know you don't with that comment about Dick Morris.
There is more out there than MSNBC, which leaves out a lot that is not PC.

patriotCedar Hills, UT

June 18, 2014 1:12 p.m.

"Our" American Tea Party is stronger than ever thanks to the monthly
scandals that pour out the White House.

Liberal TedSalt Lake City, UT

June 18, 2014 12:33 p.m.

Since when has this regime told us the truth? Can anyone state a truthful
statement?

With that said, the same handlers that told him terrorism
has been defeated also fed him the line that the Tea Party is dead. Just more
wishful thinking, from a regime that is finally starting to crumble. Just look
at his pole numbers and how much his numbers match the mans he replaced. Hope
and change to Despair and Disaster.

airnautEverett, 00

June 18, 2014 11:54 a.m.

Democratic stragety against Republicans? --

Divide and Conquer.

The perfect irony is that the Tea-Party is doing most of the work FOR
them.

FTsalt lake city, UT

June 18, 2014 11:35 a.m.

@SCFANPolling of BO hardly indicates how the GOP and the tea party will
fare in 2016. Whoever the GOP nominates will have to run on the party's
platform and they've lost the popular vote in 5 of the 6 last elections.
The demographics continue to get worse for the GOP and the Tea Party as white
male voters continue to become less of the voting bloc. I suggest paying more
attention to what Nate Silver tells you vs. Karl Rove or Dick Morris.

HaHaHaHaOthello, WA

June 18, 2014 11:12 a.m.

Funny thing, nobody agrees on the future of the Tea Party, and I'm pretty
sure it is not entirely accurate to label Rand Paul as a Tea Party candidate. My
guess is that the Tea Party will be with us for quite some time. Rand Paul has
as good of a chance as any Republican for national candidacy, with the exception
of Ted Cruz. Billary is only really popular among the mainsteam press, and the
people they influence. The future challenge for the GOP is not old white guys
dying off, it is the increase of the 47% or the amount of people with their hand
out, waiting for their government cheese. If non tea party, squishy, moderate
stand for nothing candidates were really the answer for the GOP, then Dole,
McCain, and Romney would have won hands down. The biggest obstacle for the demos
is a guy named Barry. All the lies, deceptions and ineptness are quickly coming
to a head, and a mean implosion is on the way.

SCfanclearfield, UT

June 18, 2014 11:11 a.m.

FT

The current trend is that Barack Obama and his wing of the
Democrat Party are not the face of the majority of Americans anymore. Polls
have consistantly shown a disapproval of his Presidency. In some polls his side
on some issues only gets about 33%. Which is the consistant Democrat vote.
Little if any moderates left. And they are who win elections for Presidents.

slcdenizen

Which brings me to you. Yes they won the Senate,
and White House, but do you really believe that the trend is not going against
the Democrats for this upcoming election? If so, then you are in the minority.
Even Democrat pundits they are worried about the possibility of Republicans
winning the Senate. Most vulunerable Democrat Senators are in states Romney won
by huge margins. Don't need any algorithm to support those facts.

4601Salt Lake City, UT

June 18, 2014 11:04 a.m.

Having no connection to the Tea Party and no detailed knowledge of their
platform, I do have some sympathy for their stated goal of bringing fiscal
responsibility to the US congress. The Blue Dog Democrats such as Rep.Matheson
are unfortunately a dying breed and tax and spend is the mantra of current
Democrats. Mr. Obama campaigned against Bush for his irresponsible and
unpatriotic use of the Chinese credit card, but after the election Obama made
Bush look like a miser. Much as a small percentage of the Occupy Wall Street
movement has merit, the Tea Party's goal of fiscal restraint should be
considered.

SharpHooksSandy, UT

June 18, 2014 10:27 a.m.

The Tea Party makes it difficult for voters to differentiate between factions of
the GOP.This will splinter, or dilute it's 'strength'--if
it even HAS any, even further.All the while benefitting the Democratic
Party, and we thank you.

airnautEverett, 00

June 18, 2014 10:26 a.m.

Whatever --

David Brat only "won" because Virginia holds and
open primary,

And Democrats, Libertarians, and all Un-Affiliated
voters who do not LIKE Eric Cantor, showed up simply to vote AGAINST him,
period.

But -- Let the Tea-Publicans keep thinking they are
still relevant.We enjoy their show, besides -- it only hurts their
fellow Republicans, they do nothing towards Democrats.

Roland KayserCottonwood Heights, UT

June 18, 2014 9:39 a.m.

The Tea Party and the Republican Party are now indistinguishable.

slcdenizenMurray, UT

June 18, 2014 9:34 a.m.

@SCFan

"more conservative voting as seen by recent elections and
polls"

That's quite some math you've done. Democrats
won the majority of votes in the House, Senate, and presidency in 2012. Repubs
maintained the House due to the strident efforts of late to gerrymander their
districts. But if you have an alternate algorithm to support your thesis, please
provide!

Ford DeTreeseProvo, UT

June 18, 2014 9:32 a.m.

OMM:

According to a 2012 Pew survey, 35 percent of registered voters
identify themselves as Democrat, 28 percent as Republicans. 33 percent are
independent. Of these, 15 percent lean Republican, 13 percent lean Democrat.
Which means Democrats hold the edge by about 5 percent. But as old white guys
like me die off, the GOP will be in worse shape, especially if they keep
blocking immigration reform, catering to the 1 percent, and waging war on the
poor. Tea or no tea, the GOP is slowling becoming extinct.

FTsalt lake city, UT

June 18, 2014 9:29 a.m.

No rational person would believe that Ted Cruz or Rand Paul has a chance to win
a national election. The Tea party will be relevant in the GOP and regionally
but irrelevant nationally because their leaders and support are not the face for
the majority of Americans.

SCfanclearfield, UT

June 18, 2014 9:09 a.m.

Open Minded Mormon

Take a look at where Liberals rate in the general
population. 20%. Not much better. And the trend in America is to more
conservative voting as seen by recent elections and polls. So just who is it
that is fading?......

Open Minded MormonEverett, 00

June 18, 2014 8:11 a.m.

Let's see...

The Tea-Publicans went from 61% to 41%, a
loss of of over 1/3 of themselves.

They are now only 41% of
Republicans, who are less than 40% of America = >15% of the general
population.

Primary election wins or losses --

They are
still a minority of the minority, and still fading fast...

SCfanclearfield, UT

June 18, 2014 8:03 a.m.

FatherOfFour

I'm glad to read that you believe the biggest gift
to the Democrats is losing the House of Representatives in 2010. The T-Party
did that. Now in 2014 it looks like the T-Party could add a Republican Senate
to the list of gifts to the Democrats. Thank You.

FatherOfFourWEST VALLEY CITY, UT

June 18, 2014 7:00 a.m.

I personally hope the Tea Party never dies. Biggest gift to the democrats ever.
Thank you.

GaryOVirginia Beach, VA

June 18, 2014 6:34 a.m.

" . . . My guess is the tea party is deepening, but not broadening . . .
"

. . . like an acute disease affecting the Republican Party.

I get it.

The silver lining to that polluted cloud is that
the dichotomy between the Democratic Party and the Republican Party is becoming
much more clear as the Republican Party becomes more and more contaminated with
harmful Tea Party dogma.

On the one side have the Democrats, the
can-do party of good sense and pragmatism, vs the Republican Party, the Tea
Party 2.0, the Party of ideologues and do-nothing extremists.

The
Republican devolution is making it easier for sensible voters to make the right
choice.